Sir Alex Ferguson admitted for the first time yesterday that Manchester United
have suffered for a lack of goals from midfield and that much of the
criticism of the champions this season has been justified.

But the United manager said he had been encouraged by the reaction to a clutch
of “dramatic and emphatic” defeats and expressed hope that his midfielders
can help to ease the burden on the strikers after a flurry of goals.

United have won seven and drawn one of their eight matches since being humbled
6-1 by Manchester City at Old Trafford in October and responded